====== 08. The Dungeon Environment: Sound ======


Sound doesn’t travel as far as the PCs might expect. While the Dungeon is not soundproof, the walls were made very thick to muffle the screams of the demons inside their cells. Wards were added to soften the annoying, persistent echoes. Years of neglect have caused these wards to warp, creating an unplanned new effect: sound is unpredictable.

This means a lot to clever DMs. If the PCs are being extra quiet, perhaps a single breath gets funneled down a quarter-mile of corridor, alerting everyone of their presence. Or an epic battle in a Room two doors away goes unheard. Echoes from the farthest reaches of the Dungeon could be heard at the entryway, and the PCs’ footfalls could go unheard by someone right in front or behind them.

Don’t be afraid to use this to your advantage or to help low-level PCs sneak past larger adversaries. It is important to note the Regions H, K, L, and O do not follow standard rules regarding magic, wards, and — in this case — sound. Feel free to apply these concepts as you see fit (see Encounter Conditions, page 10 and 830).

